1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for inserting/extracting an insert type card to/from an electronic device, and more particularly to an apparatus for inserting/extracting an insert type card using a card cover.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, electronic devices typically include portable communication devices, liquid crystal display devices, computers, portable electronic calculators, and battery packs.
A portable communication device enables mobile voice and data communications with a counterpart and includes an antenna unit, a data input/output unit, a data transmitting/receiving unit. The data input unit generally includes a keypad through which data can be input mainly by a pushing operation of a finger, and a touchpad or a touch screen are often used as the keypad.
The conventional portable communication device has evolved to have multiple functions according to various demands of users. For example, the multiple functions include voice communication, a radio set playing function, a digital camera function, an internet function, and a function for downloading and recreating MP3 music and videos. Such music and video files have large file sizes, and additionally require a memory card such as a secure digital (SD) card, a multimedia card (MMC), and a subscriber identification module (SIM) card. The memory card is inserted into and extracted from the portable communication device during operation.
As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, a conventional memory card inserting/extracting apparatus 1 for a portable communication device includes a card insert slot 4 formed in a communication device body 2 and through which a memory card 3 is inserted and extracted, a push-pull card socket 5 installed inside the card insert slot 4, and a card cover 6 installed in the communication device body 2 and configured to prevent foreign substances from being introduced into the card insert slot 4.
As shown, when the memory card 3 is to be inserted into the communication device body 2, the card cover 6 installed in the communication device body 2 is manually pulled out and rotated to open the card insert slot 4. In this state, the memory card 3 is inserted into the card insert slot 4, and then is inserted into the push-pull card socket 5 while being pushed, thus making an electrical contact with the push-pull card socket 5.
Thereafter, when the memory card 3 is to be extracted from the card insert slot 4, if the inserted memory card 3 is pushed again using a fingernail of a user or a tool (not shown), it is automatically extracted from the card insert slot 4 by the push-pull card socket 5.
Such a memory card inserting/extracting apparatus is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2006-119881 (published on May 11, 2006). However, since the conventional memory card inserting/extracting apparatus for an electronic device has a structure, it is difficult to extract the memory card without using a fingernail of a user or a separate tool.
Thus, there is a need for an improved apparatus for inserting/extracting a memory card into/from a card insert slot even without using a fingernail of a user or a separate tool.